A mosaic of history

Following months of community-inspired creativity, Northstowe is set to welcome a captivating new sculpture, which blends elements of the town’s past, present, and future, to its new community centre. A project that has been eagerly followed by many, the Northstowe Heritage Art Project has seen local Willingham-based artist, Chloe Leaper, work with the community to create ‘A Symbol for Northstowe’. The sculpture will be revealed during the much-anticipated Northstowe Community Centre Celebration Event on Saturday 30 September 2023.

Drawing inspiration from remnants of Roman buildings unearthed in Northstowe, medieval field furrows, the historic RAF Oakington runway, and the networking of archaeological trenches preceding Northstowe’s development, Leaper’s sculpture echoes the essence of Northstowe’s rich heritage. 

A tribute to collaboration

The sculpture’s design was a collaborative effort with residents of Northstowe, Longstanton, and Willingham, who contributed their ideas through a series of open-access workshops, school sessions, community rooms for older citizens, and meetings of faith groups.

This striking end result is the crowning achievement of the Project and is being installed in the garden of the new Northstowe Community Centre. Chloe Leaper will be on-site on 30 September to introduce the community to their shared creation, displaying the sketchbooks and workshop designs that culminated in this magnificent piece, which includes real unearthed Roman pottery fragments. 

Mari O’Neill, Director of Northstowe Arts CIC and a local resident, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “It’s been fantastic to see people of all ages being fascinated with our local history and really getting involved in designing this sculpture. In its new home at Northstowe Community Centre, I hope it inspires more people to find out about the heritage of this land, as our new community develops in Northstowe.”

The sculpture was commissioned by Northstowe Arts CIC. The Northstowe Heritage Art Project was made possible by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Homes England, Cambridgeshire County Council and Northstowe Foodies, and by working alongside project partners Homes England, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Longstanton & District Heritage Society.

A journey shared 

For local artist, Chloe Leaper, this project has been a great experience. She remarked, “This has undoubtedly been the most enriching experience of my career. I am so grateful to Northstowe Arts, the local community, and the project partners for the opportunity of utilising my artistic and educational practice to develop a much greater understanding of, and connection to, my local history and past and present community.

Dean Harris, Senior Planning and Enabling Manager (Large Sites – Northstowe) of Homes England, echoed the sentiment, saying, “We’re excited to see the final output of this project which Homes England part-funded returned to the people that created it, with the sculpture set to be unveiled in the new Northstowe Community Centre Garden soon.

“This has been a truly inclusive project, recognising the area’s history while enabling the vibrant, growing Northstowe community to influence the creation of a symbol to reflect Northstowe’s identity.

“It was great for Homes England to be involved in some of the community engagement activities and see the creative process between Chloe and the community take shape in practice. We’re looking forward to officially sharing the sculpture with residents and recognising the efforts of those involved at the upcoming Community Centre celebration event.”

Join the celebration

A celebration event for the Northstowe Community Centre will take place from 3-6pm on Saturday 30 September 2023. The event promises an array of activities, including introductions to the various active community groups in Northstowe. Food enthusiasts can savour treats from food vans courtesy of Northstowe Foodies from 5pm, while a quiz open to all will round off the evening from 7pm. The event is being organised by Northstowe Hub.

Residents and visitors alike are invited to come along and celebrate the new symbol that intertwines history and community spirit in the heart of Northstowe.

Find out more about the Northstowe Heritage Art Project here.